JBU Students Collect Buckets of Love

Siloam Springs, Ark. (March 23, 2005) - John Brown University students launched a Buckets of Love™ relief effort on Wednesday, March 9 in the Walker Student Center to collect and assemble more than one hundred buckets that will aid tsunami victims. Local merchants and businesses banded together and donated many of the supplies.
Valued at approximately $37 each, the Buckets of Love contain much-needed practical supplies and several recreational items that are assembled in sturdy twelve-quart plastic buckets. According to Lars Dunberg, president of Global Action, a non-profit organization that is sponsoring the nationwide campaign, each item in a Bucket of Love was chosen for its usefulness to families living in debilitating poverty in slums around the world. In addition to meeting immediate needs, the gifts in a Bucket of Love show hurting people somebody cares.
“The Buckets of Love campaign is an important worldwide movement to meet the immediate needs and share long-term hope with tsunami survivors and others living in slum areas throughout the developing world,” said Mr. Dunberg. “Our goal nationwide is to fill two hundred and fifty thousand Buckets of Love by Mother’s Day. We’re very pleased to announce that the community of Siloam Springs and students at JBU are participating to collect and ship these vital supplies and fill buckets of love.”
Supplies include practical items such as Band Aids, pot holders, duct tape, nylon string, needle and thread kits, and sets of four plastic cups; education supplies such as pens, mini-notebooks and scissors; personal items, including disposable razors, toothpaste and four toothbrushes, hair accessories, washcloths and soap; and recreational supplies such as individually wrapped hard candy, jump rope, small balls, yo-yos, “slinky juniors” or one small toy car.
Global Action provided the buckets and thanks to donations from: Siloam Springs Memorial Hospital and Medical Clinic; Inner City Salon; VIP Salon; Holiday Inn; Drs. Walters, Holcomb and Corbin; The DollarTree; Bell Office Supply; Wal-Mart and M&D Hardware, one hundred buckets were filled.
“Students have already distributed buckets to some churches, but we want to challenge the community of Siloam Springs to participate. We need churches, civic groups and schools to fill buckets. Many of the people who will receive the buckets are mothers and children,” Kristen Smith, Buckets of Love area coordinator from JBU said. “If everyone fills a bucket, we can give families a fresh start by simply providing a Bucket of Love filled with simple, yet essential items.”
JBU will collect filled buckets until the May 8, Mother’s Day deadline. For more information on participating in the Buckets of Love campaign, call Joy Stoner at (479) 524-7344, or 1-888-Do-Buckets (1-888-362-8253) or visit the web site at www.BucketsOfLove.org.
The first major collection event for the Siloam Springs area will take place on Tuesday, March 29, during JBU’s 10:30 a.m. chapel service in the Cathedral of the Ozarks.
Global Action is faith-based international organization. Through key partnerships and worldwide networks, Global Action is meeting desperate needs of those who are not being served by other ministries. Global Action is organized and operated as a non-profit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. All gifts are tax deductible as allowed by law.